Wringer



Oct. 17, 1944. s sc ogp 2,360,369

WRINGER Filed Aug. 25', 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 17, 1944. s SCHRQEDER 2,360,369

WRINGER Filed Aug. 23, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENV cS/mon A. Sc/vrae dew Q (iuc v Oct. 17, 1944. s. E. SCHROEDER 2,360,369

WRINGER Filed Au 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet a 607 0) ,6. Schroeder QM W m W odT-row ys Patented Oct. 17, 1944 WRINGER Simon E. Schroeder, Ripon, Wis., assignor to Barlow & Seelig Manufacturing Company, Ripon, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application August 23, 1941, Serial No. 408,015

12 Claims.

The invention relates to wringers of the type used in connection with household laundry ma chines, and the general aim of the invention is to provide, in a wringer of this nature, new and improved means for quickly releasing the operative pressure between the wringer rolls and discontinuing the drive thereto.

An object of the invention is to provide a wringer structure embodying improved means for establishing an operative relation of the wringer frame sections and rolls by movement of a control member for the roll drive reversing gearing, the control member being thereafter operable independently of the establishing means, and means for releasing the wringer rolls from such operative relation and for returning the reversinggearing to its neutral position.

More specifically stated, an object is to provide in a wringer structure, which includes separable frame sectionsadapted to be latched together at opposite sides, wringer rolls arranged to be held under an operative spring pressure when the frame sections are latched together, and drive means for the wringer rolls controlled by manually operable reversing gearing, new and improved means for controlling wringer operation including means for establishing the opposite sides of the framed sections in latched condition as the reversing gearing is initially shifted to drive the rolls, and means for disengaging the latches-to release the pressure on the rolls and return the reversing gearing to its inoperative, neutral position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical section through a wringer embodying the features of the invention, the section being taken substantiall along the line l--| of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing details of the roll pressure adjusting means as seen from the inside of the head looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through the wringer structure, and taken substantially along the irregular line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, showing details of the latch and manipulating means for the wringer head.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In general, the exemplary form of wringer structure illustrated herein embodies a frame comprised of a fixed section or base 20 (Fig. 1) supporting spaced upstanding end members in the nature of concealing walls or shrouds 2| and 22 arranged for cooperation with a movable section or head 23. The base 20 carries a pair of upstanding, channel-shaped side stiles 24 and 25, located within and concealed by the walls 2|, 22. A pair of cooperating wringer rolls 26 and 21 extend between the side stiles 24 and 25 and are supported from the side stiles by half bearings 28 and 29 for the shaft 30 of the lower wringer roll 26 and by slidable bearing blocks 32 and 33 for the shaft 34 of the upper roll 21. The end wall 0 the left hand side stile 25 is slotted, as at 3], to permit the left end of the shaft 30 to extend therethrough for connection with the roll driving mechanism. Rigid with the blocks 32 and 33 are carrying plates 35 and 36 which extend above and beyond the upper roll and the bearing blocks and receive, through slots 38 and 39, the respective ends of, a leaf spring 31 located in the head above the upper roll 21. Upon application of'pressure to the central portion of the leaf spring 31 by atensiom'ng device (indicated generally at 40) carried by the head, operative roll pressure is established.

The head 23 is a generally channel-shaped member closed at its ends and longitudinally dimensioned to extend between and telescope over the end walls 2| and 22. Each of the end walls is slightly inwardly offset at its top edge (as seen at 4|) to receive the head section and hold it in vertical alinement with the end walls when the parts are established in operative relation. Th end walls are smoothly rounded and the head has an arcuate contour completing the curve of the assembly. The left hand end wall 22 which houses the side stile 25 is enlarged longitudinally to form a gear box enclosing the reversing gearing, generally indicated at 42.

In the present structure the wringer drive mechanism, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a drive shaft :3 rotatably housed in a sleeve 5| supported to depend from a boss 52 on a box frame 53 bolted or otherwisesecured within the end member 22. These parts form the support by which the wringer is mounted on the washing machine. Power to drive the wringer is transmitted to the shaft 50 by a suitable wringer drive shaft (not shown). The shaft 50 extends axially upwardly through the box frame 53 and is journaled at its upper end, as at 54, in the frame. The reversing gearing mechanism embodies a unitary arrangement of a pair of spaced gears 55 and 56 connected by an intermediate clutch shifting member or collar 51. This unit is slidably splined on the shaft 50 for rotation therewith. The extended end of the lower wringer roll shaft 30 in the end member 22 is connected through a universal coupling 58 with a crown gear 59 which is journaled, as at 60, on the box frame 53 for selective engagement by the gears 55 and 56.

Means is provided for shifting the unitary gear assembly along the shaft 50 from a central, neutral position to effect selective engagement of the gear 55 or 56 with the crown gear 59 to drive the rolls in one direction or the other. To this end a bearing member 6I supports a horizontal actuator shaft 62 that extends longitudinally beyond the end member and has an operating handle 63 thereon. The inner end of the shaft 62 has a radial crank plate 64 centralh fixed thereto. A shifting link 65 is pivotally connected as at 64 (Fig. 3) to one arm of the plate 64 eccentrically of the shaft 62 and extends generally upwardly for pivotal connection, as at 66, with a slide 66 mounted on the box frame 53 for vertical movement. The slide carries a stud 61 adapted to engage in an annular groove 68 formed in the clutch member 51 (Fig. 1). The link 65 has an S shaped form to insure that when the shaft 62 is rotated by the hand lever 63 (for instance in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 3), the upward swing of the crank plate arm will act through the link 65 to shift the slide 64 upwardly and move the gear 55 into driving engagement with the gear 59. Opposite movement of the hand lever 63 produces a downward movement of the linkage to effect engagement between the gears 56 and 59. A spring pressed detent II impositively latches the slide 66 in its three positions (forward, neutral and reverse) by engagement in appropriately positioned notches formed therein.

In the present wringer the head section is supported for movement into and out of operative association with the base section and the structure includes means for latching the frame sections together, for applying operative pressure to the wringer rolls when the frame sections are so related and for quickly unlatching the frame sections to permit separating movement thereof, accompanied by release of the pressure from the rolls. The invention provides means for separately latching the opposite ends of the head section to the base section, together with means acting to successively shift the head longitudinally or in the direction of its length to engage the latching means at one end of the frame and thereafter to draw the head section toward the base section to establish a latched engagement therebetween at the other end of the frame. At the same time the rolls are placed under operative pressure. These movements may be conveniently produced by the manipulable member for controlling the reversing gearing, the preferred arrangement including means permitting independent manipulation of the reversing gearing once the operating condition of the frame has been established.

In the embodiment illustrated, the cooperating latching means for one end of the head and frame sections is a simple interfittlng engagement between the parts, such as an internal tongue or rojection 15 on the right hand end of the head (Fig. 1) and an aperture I6 in the end member 2I, these parts being engageable or disengageable upon longitudinal shifting movement of the head in one direction or the other.

For supporting and guiding the head in its longitudinal movements, a pair of brackets 11 are rigidly secured on opposite sides of the other or left end of the head (see Figs. 3 and 4) and are inwardly offset, as indicated at I8, to depend into the end member 22. These brackets 11 are formed with generally vertically extending slots 19 which slidably receive the end portions of a pin 80 rigid with and extending transversely of the frame 53. The lower portions 8| of the slots 19 extend at an-angle to the vertical or downwardly and to the left (Figs. 1 and 4). The angular relationship is such that when the head is in its raised inoperative position, with the pin 80 extending through the lower ends of the angular slot portions 8I, downward movement of the brackets I1 with the head will first cam the head longitudinally to the left to engage the interfitting parts 15, 16 at the right hand end of the frame. Thereafter, the pin traverses the vertical portions of the slot I9 to guide the head to a seated position on the end member 22 and engage the latch means at the left hand end of the frame, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the present instance, such movement of the head 23 into operative association with the end members 2I and 22 is effected by manipulation of the gear shift lever 63 from its neutral position, as shown in Fig. 1, to drive the rolls in either direction. To this end, the crank plate 64 carries a pair of spaced antifri-ction rollers 82 and 83 mounted in eccentric relation to the shaft 62. These rollers are selectively moved to engage cam surfaces 84 and 85, respectively, of an actuator 86 when the shaft is rotated in one direction or the other. As seen in Fig. 3, the shifting link is generally S-shaped to provide clearance recesses 69, 10 for the rollers 82 and 83, respectively. The actuator 86 is generally U-shaped to straddle the wringer post 52, and is pivotally supported at its inner ends, as by a pivot pin 81, on a bracket 88, which is rigidly secured, as at 89 (Fig. 1), to the bottom of the end member 22.

A pair of upwardly extending links IOI are pivoted, as at I00, to the opposite sides of the actuator 86 and each of these links is pivotally connected at its upper end to a short link I02. The short links in turn are pivotally supported by a pin I03 rigidly carried by ears I04 formed as extensions of the brackets H on the head 23. By this arrangement, actuation of the handle 63 from its central inoperative position to drive the rolls in either direction will cause one of the rollers 82, 83 to depress the actuator 86 which, through the linkage I00, IOI, I02, I03 and I04 will draw the head downwardly toward and into its seated relation with the base. A pair of tension springs I05 having their respective ends secured to the actuator 86 and to pins 53'- (Fig. 3) fixed on end member 22 pull upwardly on the actuator and through the connecting linkage exert a force tending to hold the head in its raised and somewhat longitudinally displaced inoperative position.

The latch mechanism, employed for holding the left end of the head in its depressed, operative position, is automatically engageable as an incident to this downward movement of the head to its operative position andis releasable in an emergency by a simple quick release mechanism. At the same time, the reversing gear mechanism is returned to its neutral position as the actuator 86 is raised by the linkage IOI, I02 and strikes one or the other of the rollers 82, 83 (if not in their neutral position) to return the mechanism to neutral. The instant latch mechanism includes a latch plate I 06 pivotally supported on the wringer frame, as by the horizontal pin 80, to project generally upwardly therefrom, as shown best in Fig. 4. A latching member in the form of a horizontal pin I01 is rigidly secured in the head to extend generally parallel to the pin 80 and is adapted, upon depression of the head, for latching engagement in complementary notches I08 formed in side flanges I09 of the latch plate I06. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the margins of the notches I08 that engage the pin I01 to hold the head are formed at a slight angle so that the engagement is impositive and not self-sustaining. Above these angular margins the flanges I09 are formed with inclined cam surfaces IIO (Fig. 4) upon which the pin I01 rides to retract the latch plate for engagement with the pin I01. A spring III, having one end secured in the frame 53 and the other on the plate I06 is of sufficient strength to cause the latch plate I06 to snap into latching engagement with the pin I01 when the head has been depressed to its operative position, but is of in suflicient strength per se to maintain the latching engagement. A holding member II2 for the latch plate is pivotally supported on the pin I03 to extend over and past the upper end of the latch plate I06, and has an intermediate shoulder II3 for engagement with the upper end of the latch plate I06 when'the latter is engaged with the pin I01. To maintain the operative relationship of the parts, a spring I I4, having one end anchored in the end member 22 and the other end secured to the holding member H2, yieldably urges the-latter into engagement with the latching plate I06.

The parts are maintained in this operative relation until the holding member H2 is released. This mechanism is arranged for convenient actuation from e'ther side of the wringer head by the user in an emergency. Thus, each side of the wringer head supports a release or impact bar I20 (Fig. 3) projecting outwardly therefrom immediately above the upper roll. The release bars are mounted for swinging movement relative to the head by such means as pivot pins I2I supported by ears I22 inside the head engaging arms I23 on the release bars (Figs. 3 and 4). The arms I23 at the end of the head adjoining the holding member II2 have horizontal continuations adapted to underlie and bear against an extended finger I24 on the holding member II2.

Hence, when the holding member is in operative engagement with the latch plate I06, inward movement of either release bar will release this end of the head, and the upward movement thereof is followed by a release of the latching means at the other end as'the pin 60 rides through the angular portions 8I of the slots 19.

The tensioning device 40 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is carried by the head for cooperation with the central portion of the spring 31 to place the rolls 26 and 21 under operative spring pressure. In the present instance, this device includes a generally U-shaped element I25 pivotally supported by ears I26 on a bracket I26 rigid with the head. The element I25 is designed to bear against and stress the spring 31 when the head is latched to the frame. For adjusting or varying the stressing effect of the element I25 on the spring, a longitudinally shiftable stepped plate I21 is mounted to slide through apertures in spaced lugs I28 on the bracket I26 The steps on the plate I21 space the element I25 at varying distances from the head to stress the spring 31 in varying amounts. A thumb actuator I29 projects from the plate I21 through an aperture I30 in the head for convenient manipulation. Such means as a fiat spring I3I may be provided for normally urging the element I25 upwardly against the plate I21.

The adjustable spring tensioning means is disclosed and claimed in my copending divisional application Serial No. 551,100, filed August 25, 1944.

The operation is as follows: As the shaft 62 rotated to depress the head and engage the wringer rolls, the pin 80, through the agency of the angular portions 8I of the slots 19, cams the head 23 longitudinally to engage the latch mem- 'bers 15, 16. Further rotation of the shaft 62 depresses the head to tension the leaf spring 31 and, at the same time, effect engagement of the latch plate I06 with the pin I01 and the shoulder II3 with latch plate I06. The roll drive may be disconnected or reversed by appropriate manipulation of the control handle 63 independently of the pressure applying means once the wringer sectons have been operatively established, since the actuator 86 during operation is held down and out of the way regardless of further control handle manipulations. To release the rolls from operative pressure engagement, the impact bars are actuated to raise the trigger I24. Since the latch plate I06 and pin I01 form an impositive latch, release of the holding member II2 from the plate I06 frees the head for upward and then longitudinal movement thereby releasing the latching members 15, 16 and completely relieving wringer roll pressure. In the event that the control handle 63 is positioned at the time of release to drive the rolls in either direction, the actuator 86 will engage one or the other of the rollers 82, 63 and cam the control shaft to a neutral position, thus disengaging the roll drive.

While the release mechanism will operate without springs I 05 it is preferred that such spring means be employed for yieldably holding the head in its inoperative position when it is unlocked. The head will thus be maintained in proper relation to the base section of the frame for movement to its latched position upon manipulation of the control handle 63 without requi ring a presetting manipulation by the operator.

It will be apparent from a consideration of the foregoing that during normal operation of the wringer, the control handle 63 may be moved to one side or the other to drive the rolls selectively in one direction or the other without affecting the operative spring-pressed relation of the wringer rolls after they have once been set as an incident to initial wringer operation. At the same time, the impact bars are conveniently positioned for instantaneous pressure release in the event of an emergency, and the linkage which controls head movement is so associated with the reversing gearing that, upon such pressure release, the drive is immediately returned to its neutral, non-driving position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, roll driving means including reversing gears, a control member for shifting said reversing gears, means engageable by longitudinal movement of said head for connecting one end of said head to said frame, means engageable by movement of said head toward said frame for latching the other end of said head to said frame, and means operable by movement of said control member in either direction from a neutral position for moving said head first longitudinally to engage the connecting means and then toward said frame to engage the latching means.

21A wringer having, in combination, a frame including spaced side members and a separable head, wringer rolls mounted on said frame, means for applying an operating pressure to said rolls, roll driving means including reversing gearing and manually-actuated means for controlling the operation of said gearing, holding means on one of said side members and one end of said head engageable by a longitudinal movement of said head to detachably secure said side member and head together, means rigid with the other end of said head extending into the other side member associated therewith, cam means interposed between the rigid means and said associated side member for imparting longitudinal movement to said head upon movement of said head and rigid means toward said associated side member, a linkage connecting said manually-actuated means and said head for so moving said head and rigid means upon manipulation of said manually-actuated means to establish a roll drive in either direction, an impositive latch on said associated side member, means carried by said rigid means for engagement by said latch when said head has been moved into an operative relation with said associated side member, and quickly releasable holding means engaging said impositive latch to maintain it against release.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, roll drivingmeans including reversing gearing, a control member for said reversing gearing shiftable from a neutral to a driving position, means engageable by longitudinal movement of said head for connecting one end of said head to said frame, means engageable by movement of said head toward said. frame for latching the other end of said head to said frame, means operable by movement of said control member from a neutral position for moving said head first longitudinally to engage the connecting means and then toward said frame to engage the latching means, and means for releasing the latching engagement between said head and said frame to permit separating movement of said head, such separating movement being effective to move said control member to its neutral position.

4. A wringer comprising, in combination, a fixed frame having a head supported thereon for movement first longitudinally of said frame and then toward said frame for operative engagement therewith, rolls carried by said frame, roll pressure applying means adapted to tension said rolls when said head is operatively engaged with said frame, means for driving said rolls including a drive reversing mechanism, actuating means for said mechanism selectively movable 311th said actuating means for shifting said head longitudinally of and then toward said frame for operative engagement therewith regardless of the direction of manipulation of said actuating means from its neutral position, means for latching said head in operative position, a release member for said latching means, and means connected with said head and presented for actuation by the userfor shifting said member to release the latching means and permit return of said head to its inoperative position and return of said drive reversing mechanism to its neutral position.

5. A wringer having, in combination, a frame including spaced side members and a separable head, wringer rolls mounted on said frame, means for applying an operative pressure to said rolls, roll driving means including reversing gearing and manually-actuated means for controlling the operation of said gearing, holding means on one of said side members and on one end of said head engageable by longitudinal movement of said head, cam means on the other end of said head for imparting longitudinal movement to said head upon movement thereof toward the other side member whereby to engage said holding means, a latch on said other side member engageable with said other end of said head when said head has been moved into an operative relation with said other side member, means interconnecting said manually-actuated means and said head for so moving said head, and means for releasing said latch to permit separating movement of said head, such movement being effective to move said manually-actuated means to a neutral position;

6. A wringer comprising, in combination, a fixed frame, a head, means supporting said head for movement relative to said frame, cam means for guiding said head through successive movements, first bodily longitudinally of and then toward said frame, rolls carried by said frame, means for applying spring pressure to said rolls when said head is moved into operative relation with said frame, means operable by the successive longitudinal and approaching movements of said head for latching it to said frame, means for driving said rolls including a reversing mechanism, manipulable means for actuating said mechanism, means interconnecting said mechanism and said manipulable means for engaging said mechanism and moving said head to engage said frame, and means manipulable by the user to release the latching means and permit return of said head to its inoperative position and return of said mechanism to its neutral position.

7. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls mounted on said frame, means for applying an operating pressure to said rolls upon movement of said head longitudinally of and toward' said frame, roll driving means including reversing gearing and a manually-actuated shaft for controlling the operation of said gearing, linkage means carried on one end of said head and extending into said frame, cam means carried by said shaft for cooperation with said linkage and operative upon rotation of said shaft in either direction to move said head toward said frame, means for converting a part of such movement toward said frame to movement longitudinally of said frame, and releasable latch means engageable upon such movement to hold said head in operative position on said frame.

8. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, roll driving means, means for tensioning the rolls when said head is operatively associated with said frame, cam ,means interposed between said head and frame and operative only during an initial movement of said head toward said frame for imparting a longitudinal component of movement to said head during such initial movement, means separate from said cam means engageable by such' longitudinal movement for connecting one end of said head to said frame during such initial movement, separable latch means subsequently engageable by a final movement of said head toward said frame for latching said head and frame together, and means manipulable by the operator for moving said head with respect to said frame.

9. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, roll driving means, means for tensioning the rolls when said head is operatively associated with said frame, means on said head extending into said frame at one end thereof,

cam means interposed between the extending moved toward said frame, means manipulable by the operator for so movingsaid head, means engageable by such longitudinal movement of said head for connecting one end of said head means and said frame for imparting a longi-w tudinal movement to said head as said head is to said frame, and latch means engageable byv movement of said head toward said frame for latching the other end of said head tosaidjframe.

10. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, roll driving means, means for tensioning the rolls when said head is operatively associated with said frame, means engageable by a longitudinal movement of saidheadior connecting one end of said head to said frame, an impositive latch means at the other end of said frame engageable by movement of said head toward said frame for releasably latching the other end of said head to said frame, cam means for j ment effects a connection between each end of said head and said frame, manually operable means for moving said head toward said frame, and manually releasable means for maintaining said impositive latch means against release.

11, In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, roll driving means, means for tensioning the rolls when said head is operatively associated with said frame, means engageable by longitudinal movement of said head for connecting one end of said head to said frame, separable cooperating latch means'on said head and frame engageable by movement'of said head toward said frame for latching the other end of said head to said frame, rigid means o'n said. otherend of said head extending into the associated and of said frame, interengaging cam means on said rigid means and associated frame and for producing the longitudinal movement, aforesaid of said head as a component of an initial movement of said rigid means relative to said frame in the direction of the aforesaid movement of said head toward said frame, and means for so moving said rigid means and head.

12. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a separable head, wringer rolls supported by said frame, means for applying an operating pressure to said rolls when said head is operatively positioned on said frame, releasable latch means engageable by movement of the head longitudinally of the. head and toward said frame termined by said camjand guide means. I w SIlidONE, SCHROEDER. 

